Whedonesque : Comments on 15544 : Sorry for the downtime, folks.

Let's hope it sticks :)
Things should be a *lot* faster now.

milov | February 19, 16:27 CET

Thanks, Milo. And Caroline.

palehorse | February 19, 16:44 CET

Wow, that's a lot faster... thanks!

zillah | February 19, 16:45 CET

Aha, the man behind the curtain at last ;).

Thanks milov, good work.

Saje | February 19, 17:03 CET

Oooh, speedy! Thanks milov.

jcs | February 19, 17:25 CET

I'm glad it wasn't just my computer - I needed my fix! Many thanks to milov - and to all you guys who keep the site running, and a necessary visit more times a day than I'm going to admit to!

Gill | February 19, 17:52 CET

Thanks for getting running again!

newcj | February 19, 18:40 CET

yay for Milo and Caroline.

Numfar PTB | February 19, 18:41 CET

We're also trying out a new feature: whedonesque mobile.
You can point your mobile phone or pda to: m.whedonesque.com
Please send us your feedback! (It's looking like arse on my Sony Ericsson, but great on my N95.)

Caroline | February 19, 18:58 CET

Huzzah for Milo!

I thought it was just my Mac. Thanks, all.

Willowy | February 19, 18:58 CET

Whedonesque mobile? You're going to make it even easier for me to come here 50 times a day? Will there be a whedonesque drip for my arm soon? Because that would be awesome.
(Thanks for all your hard work, Caroline and Milo)

siwangmu | February 19, 20:22 CET

I'm very grateful it's back. I really missed it yesterday. Milo, you're our "Q" (Bond, not Star Trek).

If I can be made to understand how the cell phone thing works, I'll try it and give feedback. I've got Internet on my phone, but haven't been able to sign in to Whedonesque on it. Where does :m.whedonesque.com go?

dreamlogic | February 19, 20:41 CET

It goes to a simplified, no graphics, version of the site to keep your mobile costs down and to make it easier to read on a small screen.

Caroline | February 19, 20:42 CET

Ooo that looks to be super helpful for my slow internet connection at home, too.

The site is indeed quite zippy now. Thanks for all the backend work.

Sunfire | February 19, 21:12 CET

I really missed Whedonesque last night, but I can't repine since it is back, faster and better than ever! But I think I'm the last person on the planet without a cell phone.

embers | February 19, 21:12 CET

Super speedy. Wow. Thanks to Milo and Caroline and Simon and all the wizards who keep this wonderful site going.

Drip for your arm, siwangmu? I was thinking of contracting The Initiative for some sort of whedonesque brain chip....

phlebotinin | February 19, 21:14 CET

Add another round of thanks to Milov, Caroline and all those who keep this site running.

barboo | February 19, 21:14 CET

Thanks for the hard work keeping W going. Next paycheck, a few sheckles coming your way. :>)

Tonya J | February 19, 21:17 CET

You can point your mobile phone or pda to: m.whedonesque.com

Hooray! It works on my PSP.

Simon | February 19, 21:23 CET

Check...check...checkcheck... eta: my edit didn't work...check...

It's great - easy to read on my Verizon Motorola. I had some problems sending, but that's probably just my chronic connection problem, which I suspect is static escaping from my brain into machines.

[ edited by dreamlogic on 2008-02-19 19:02 ]

[ edited by dreamlogic on 2008-02-19 19:08 ]

dreamlogic | February 19, 21:44 CET

Wow, incredibly faster! Thanks guys! :)

cabri | February 19, 21:56 CET

Hooray! It works on my PSP.

Was planning to test that later, great to know it works.

Numfar PTB | February 19, 21:57 CET

I wasn't sure if it was just me, my damn pc doesn't work half the time
Thanks milov for getting it back!

okelay | February 19, 22:22 CET

Thanks for the fix and the mobile version. I'm on my Palm right now. It looks great!

Bobbi | February 19, 22:59 CET

YAY! Thanks, milov, Caroline, Simon and all the other mad geniuses behind the Black.

embers Don't feel bad - I don't have one, either. Unless you count my TracFone, which is mostly for emergencies and "Hey, Mom, did you need anything from the store?" kind of calls.

Yes, things are quicker now, which is great for those of us poor shlubs who can't afford faster than dial-up. Now if I could just figure out what half of those quotes on the sides are...

Ok, several I'm sure are from "Angel," which I've yet to see. Some I guess are from the comics, which I'm not reading. The ones from "Buffy" & "Firefly" I recognize. (And grin when the line makes me "see" the whole scene in my mind.) Oh, but one thing? Two, actually - it's spelled "yaks," not "yacks" (Unless the blood is talking) and it's "You're stalwart," since Giles is telling Buffy she is, not that she has a stalwart. 'cause...ya know, that's not something you can own. Sorry - I tend to notice typos.

ShadowQuest | February 19, 23:18 CET

Thanks, Milo, for getting the site up and running again - and so much faster. As always, thanks to Caroline for giving us this home.

samatwitch | February 19, 23:37 CET

... and it's "You're stalwart," since Giles is telling Buffy she is, not that she has a stalwart.

Hmm, no ShadowQuest. He's saying he wishes he could be her "stalwart standing fast" (but can't because he'd be standing in the way of her development into an independent young woman) so "your" is right - in context "you're" as in "you are" doesn't make too much sense. Unless there's another stalwart quote between Giles and Buffy, in which case ... Jesus, what's that on your shoulder ? *runs* ;).

Saje | February 19, 23:52 CET

Another stalwart quote? Surely no one would use "stalwart" more than once in a lifetime.

jcs | February 20, 00:00 CET

m.whedonesque.com works brilliantly on my iPhone. And Milo, did you get my email?

gossi | February 20, 00:15 CET

No need to apologize, Caroline. You're running a wonderful site! Actually, we should be thanking you.

Madhatter | February 20, 00:19 CET

It's back! Geek love to milov et. al. for a sterling show of technical gee-wizardry. I was going through a lil' withdrawal there. I'm sure my Mac @ home will also appreciate the speedy upgrade :)

Wiseblood | February 20, 00:23 CET

Saje That makes no sense. Stalwart means "strong, sturdy," "brave, valiant," or "resolute, firm." While it can also refer to someone who is stalwart in this case Giles is saying he wishes she could stand up and be strong on her own, but he's "in the way" because she keeps coming to him when things get hairy.

"I wish I could lay your arms down, and let you rest at last/Wish I could slay your demons, but now that time is past/Wish I could stay here/your stalwart, standing fast/But I'm just standing in the way."

Or...

"I wish I could slay your demons, but now that time is past/Wish I could stay here/You're stalwart, standing fast/But I'm just standing in the way."

In the first, it seems that Giles is calling himself her stalwart, as in he's her brave, resolute, steady rock, but then the next line doesn't make sense. If he's that for her, how is he standing in her way? Unless he means that he shouldn't be her rock.

In the second, he's saying that she is strong, brave and firm, but she doesn't have a chance to show that because he's her crutch to lean on. Remember when Spike brings them the minion & Xander says "Plan schman. I say we saddle up" Giles says "No." Try removing the line and just look at "Wish I could stay here" and "But I'm just standing in the way" - does calling himself a stalwart make more sense than saying she is?

(And now I'm listening to my "Musical Buffy" playlist, which also features "Behind Blue Eyes," "Free Bird" and Giles' little Exposition Song, as well as "I'll Be Mrs.")

Joss? Hey, Joss! Wanna clear this up for us?

ShadowQuest | February 20, 00:37 CET

Milo, where you been hiding? We missed you.

Madhatter | February 20, 00:45 CET

I share the concern about typos and misquotes - I was going to mention a few I'd noticed on here when I submitted favorite quotes from the comics... but the site quotes got updated before I got around to submitting anything (and actually, my sig on another site is dedicated to reminding people how to correctly spell "a lot" [and "Spider-Man"] ) - but this isn't one of them. I was already pretty sure that Giles was calling himself Buffy's stalwart, but I went to double-check - and confirmed something else I thought about that line, too. Straight from the lyrics included with the "Once More, With Feeling" CD: "Wish I could stay/Your stalwart standing fast". That's not a "here" - it's ASH stretching the word to "stay-ayay" - which, actually does make more sense with "your" stalwart - he wishes he could remain as her stalwart.

And, of course, thanks to Caroline and all of the Whendoneqsue staff for this great site!

LKW | February 20, 01:02 CET

In the first, it seems that Giles is calling himself her stalwart, as in he's her brave, resolute, steady rock, but then the next line doesn't make sense. If he's that for her, how is he standing in her way? Unless he means that he shouldn't be her rock.

That's exactly what he means. If he remains her stalwart, and does all of the grow up type things for her then she doesn't grow up and learn to rely on herself. Buffy needs to learn to stand on her own and she refuses to do that while 'daddy' is around.

ETA - if you see a typo, we do have an email address :)

zeitgeist | February 20, 01:04 CET

Exactly zeitgeist ;).

Always happy to have Joss postage of course but for me there's no clearing up necessary, meaning's pretty unambiguous IMO ;). Throughout OMWF (and before) Giles has been worried that Buffy won't take responsibility because he's there (for instance to bollock Dawn for her) - it's just made explicit in the training montage.

(and stalwart as a noun is pretty common usage, at least over here. Could've used 'standfast' that way too but that's less common, maybe a bit antiquated, and obviously wouldn't work in "standfast standing fast" cos that's just, y'know, shit ;)

Saje | February 20, 01:51 CET

Because of that song, I used 'staelwyreth' as a nick for a while.

Caroline | February 20, 02:00 CET

Adding my kudos to Caroline and Milo - thanks!

Zannadoo | February 20, 02:05 CET

Welcome back, Caroline!

Madhatter | February 20, 02:06 CET

Joss? Hey, Joss! Wanna clear this up for us?

Please don't make comments like that here. It's frowned upon.

Simon | February 20, 02:11 CET

ETA - if you see a typo, we do have an email address :)

Noted. I've noticed some typos in the past but helpfully didn't record them. Next time I notice a few, I'll send an email.

Misheard song lyrics that make total sense within the narrative are so classic. If anybody ever doubted OMWF being the real thing, here's the proof.

Sunfire | February 20, 02:25 CET

Beelzebub has the devil for a sideboard, you know. Fact.

(in fairness, I think misheard punctuation in a song lyric is less common, so kudos to ShadowQuest ;)

Saje | February 20, 02:59 CET

I managed to make the mobile site come up on my phone, but when I tried to open recent comments it just complained 'file too large to open'. Still, that's probably more due to my old phone than the site itself!

ArielWillow | February 20, 03:01 CET

Hurray Milo *tossing corn chip confetti*

Tina | February 20, 03:36 CET

There is never "downtime" at Whedonesque, only "up" (not in that cheesy Up With People vein, but more ... damn, I lost the analogy that was forming in my head. Okay, a different kind of cheesy, kind of like the warm, fuzzy, familiar feeling I get from that scene in the Blues Brothers every time I see it, when the old man says: "Did you get me my Cheese Whiz, boy?" whereupon Elwood lobs him a can) ... but I digress.

Tonya J | February 20, 03:46 CET

Simon Ummm...why? It was meant as a joke, not actually asking the Man Himself to reply. Kind of like "What's that on your shoulder?" was meant as a joke, not actually asking me to look at...oh...hey...what's that?

LKW Ya know, I have the soundtrack (And the book, but it's not w/me right now) and I've watched the episode umpitty times, and I don't think I ever actually bothered to read the lyrics. On the other hand, I know from reading lyrics for Jimmy Buffett's albums that what's printed isn't always what's sung. (Especially if you read the lyrics to "Walk Through the Fire" - all of Sweet's lines [And we only know that's his name because of this & the book - it's never in the episode] are clumped together during the walk, even though all the other lines are sung at the same time/in a round with his.)

Ok, listening again. ('cause...that man's voice just gives me tinglies.) It's hard to hear - he's either "rhyming" his "stay" to his earlier "I," or he's doing that lovely British thing of adding an R sound to the end of a word ending with an A sound, hence it sounding like "stay here."

And now the duet. We tried so hard at MCB to get them to sing together, but Amber didn't want to.

ShadowQuest | February 20, 04:44 CET

ShadowQuest, if you'd like to discuss board policy, e-mail is preferable. Ta.

SoddingNancyTribe | February 20, 08:46 CET

SoddingNancyTribe Duly chastised. Twice.

ShadowQuest | February 20, 08:50 CET

Thanks guys!! Can't believe how much faster everything is!! And I'm also very grateful for the update on the Whedonesque.org board letting us know when the site's down! It's always a relief to know it isn't my computer!

Firefly Flanatic | February 20, 09:57 CET

Thanks so much!

After frantically trying to reload the page a few times it was great to have a place to go which could confirm that, no, it wasn't just me and my hopelessly-stuck-in-the-nineties net connection. I've been burned by other sites I love just disappearing and leaving me to think that I'm a big ball of crazy who must have dreamt them up!

Plus, *waves* another mobile-phobic person here. I have one, but I hate it with a fiery passion. We are a rare breed- we should form an action group or something to fight against the menace of people who can't put their phones down for 5 minutes and have a conversation.
Sadly, I suspect that no one's going to listen- as they're all on the phone!

missb | February 20, 10:37 CET

Mobile site looks great on my N73

SmileTime | February 20, 12:35 CET

I feel totally behind the times - my mobile phone is pretty much just a phone (though that said, I haven't actually read the manual - could be it's also a space-ship or a portal to another dimension ;).

It's hard to hear - he's either "rhyming" his "stay" to his earlier "I," or he's doing that lovely British thing of adding an R sound to the end of a word ending with an A sound, hence it sounding like "stay here."

Dammit, I just (like 2 days ago) took 'Standing' off my MP3 player after it being on there for about 8 months so I can't check but, possibly because my ears are British, it always sounded like the first one or two were "stay here" then the final chorus has ASH pull his "stay-yyyy" belter. Can't check til hometime though, boo.

(either way, he still wishes he could be her stalwart *ducks* ;)

Never really noticed the "A sound with an R" thing either. So like "hay" or "stay" or "way" in an English accent sound like they have an 'r' after them to US ears ? Interesting, loves me some new perspective.

(English BTW because I have a British accent but I don't sound much like Giles on account of being from Scotland ;)

Saje | February 20, 14:14 CET

By my experience, various accents of the greater English speaking world put a trace "r" sound at the end of certain words ending in an "a" sound. Anything the Brits have been doing a while some group if the rest of us do too...accent-wise that is. ;-)

I just listened to the offending section on my computer a few times and all I hear is ASH doing some vocal flourishes rather than saying "here" or putting an "r" in it anywhere.

newcj | February 20, 17:21 CET

Mobile phone phobic people... when I talk about mobile access it isn't just about phones. It's lovely that y'all hate mobile phones, but m.whedonesque.com is for anything pocketable that has net access.

Caroline | February 20, 21:57 CET

Nope I was wrong - he doesn't say "stay here" in any of the choruses, as newcj says, in every case it's an "ayayay" style vocal flourish. Must've 'magined it ;).

Saje | February 21, 01:22 CET

Caroline, For some of us it is just too expensive to add the internet to whatever might accept it. That and we are old fuddy duddies. Well, I am, anyway! But on behalf of those who aren't, thank you!
Saje, you imagine something? Nevah! (There is also the dropping of 'r's from some words across the pond.)

Lioness | February 21, 05:56 CET

Nevah Mowah ! We can even drop 'r's from the middle of words Lioness so yep, no problem with dropping 't's, 'r's, 'h's (of course, it's a classic ;) and various other letters but the only place I can think of where the English add an 'r' is in e.g. 'drawing' where some English people will pronounce it 'drawring'.

(I remember when we first moved down here it would drive my Dad mad to hear it, he'd go off on one about how "they" couldn't pronounce their own language etc. Used to make me smile because it'd usually be prefaced with "Whit's tha' aw aboot, eh ?" which is obviously straight out of Fowler's ;-).

Saje | February 21, 14:38 CET

my mobile phone is pretty much just a phone (though that said, I haven't actually read the manual - could be it's also a space-ship or a portal to another dimension ;).
Saje | February 20, 11:14 CET

Thanks a lot Saje. Now I'm staring at my totally basic (I think) cell, wondering if I should lock it up before I go to bed.
They have manuals? (Just got this flash of Andrew on BtS, reading the microwave manual) ;-)

Shey | February 21, 15:06 CET

Saje, my personal favorite is dropping/changing the "l" in "milk" to pronounce it miwk. (I wasn't even aware I did that until my Ukrainian English-language genius roommate pointed it out to me...). And, of course, the cockernee pronounciation of "bottle," "butter," etc. is genius, replacing half the word with a glottal stop and a swallowing noise. (And as well as these, yeah, I do say "drawring.")

SoddingNancyTribe | February 21, 19:45 CET

Yeah it sometimes takes a foreign ear to notice our little strangenesses (essi ? ;). My boss is from West Ham and has "miwk" in his coffee BTW ;).

'L's can be funny though. Up in the East Midlands they sometimes drop them but change the vowel sound so 'old' sounds like 'ode' (or 'owed'), 'cold' sounds like 'code' etc. Never came across that until I moved here and I always wondered if it might be something to do with having been in the Danelaw.

(there's a sort of glottal stop in Scotland too - where Cockneys sound more like 'whoa-ah' for 'water', I [used to] sound more like 'wawe-ur' until me old ma strongly and repeatedly, ahem, "extolled the virtues" of "proper" diction ;)

Saje | February 21, 20:42 CET

February 19 2008